South Africa will displace Australia at the top of the ICC Test Championship table, if it wins its forthcoming two-Test series against Pakistan.

A win for Shaun Pollock's team would improve its series points average to 1.59, moving it ahead of Australia, which has topped the ICC table since its introduction in May 2001.

The last home series between South Africa and Pakistan ended in a 1-1 draw in 1997/98, so a winning result this time around would add a point to the home team's total, giving it the edge over Steve Waugh's current champions with 27 points from 17 series.

ICC Test Championship Table, 23 December 2002

 
    Team         Played Won Lost Drawn Points Average
Australia          13    9    2    2     20     1.54 
South Africa       17   12    3    2     26     1.53 
New Zealand        17    8    5    4     20     1.18 
Sri Lanka          16    8    6    2     18     1.13 
England            16    6    6    4     16     1.00 
India              15    5    6    4     14     0.93 
West Indies        17    7    9    1     15     0.88 
Pakistan           16    4    7    5     13     0.81 
Zimbabwe           16    3   11    2      8     0.50 
Bangladesh          7    -    7    -      0      - 

With Steve Waugh's men yet to play Bangladesh or Zimbabwe in a Test series the South Africa side has had more opportunities to earn ICC Test Championship points by playing 17 of the possible 18 series while Australia has only played 13 different series in the same timeframe. South Africa holds six points from three winning series against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, whereas Australia has no current points against either of these teams.

The ACB pulled out of a tour to Zimbabwe earlier this year and play their first ever series against Bangladesh in July and August 2003. Of the 10 Test-playing nations only Bangladesh have played fewer opponents than Australia.

While Australia have been a dominant force at home, they have not been as strong on their travels. Australia has returned poorer results in away series against India, Sri Lanka and West Indies than South Africa.

In 1999/2000 South Africa completed a task that has proved beyond Australia in recent years by winning a series in India. It also drew in Sri Lanka, another country where Australia has struggled, a 1-0 defeat resulting from its last visit in 1999/2000.

Australia's first opportunity to pick up points lost away from home will be in West Indies from April 2003. The last time the two sides met in the Caribbean in 1999 the series was drawn 2-2. If Australia can emerge victorious this time it will reclaim top spot in the table with an average of 1.62.

South Africa will only go top of the ICC Test Championship Table by winning against Waqar Younis' team. A draw would maintain the current positions for both teams, while a win for Pakistan could take it up the table from eighth, to share seventh place with West Indies.

How the ICC Test Championship works:

- Sides receive 2 points for a series win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a defeat
- Sides are ranked on average (points divided by series played).
- Only series consisting of two Tests or more are counted.
- The initial table was constructed only considering series starting during or after the initial five-year cut-off date of May 1996. Thereafter series replace one another under the ICC ten-year programme with no fixed cut-off period.
- If, for any reason, a scheduled series is not played or completed, no points will be awarded.
- Bangladesh will not be allocated an average score until they have completed nine Test series of the maximum 18.
- The table will revert to a straight points system once every side has played each other home and away.

For a full explanation of the ICC Test Championship visit the ICC website, www.icc.cricket.org

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